Date With The Night
by goldgungirls
Summary: A year away from home and the damage to prove it. Stripperella Jenny might have a new mindset on life, but a girl's heart never changes and when Nate falls back into her life she has to choose what kind of life she wants to lead.
1. Lust Is Most Definatley Not Love

The glitter that sparkled off of her eyelid had illuminated the hazel pool eyes that she was familiar of. The only thing that felt familiar to her now was her face, as it should be. The soft cream feel of her pale skin and her deep rosy pink cheeks, this was something that she knew would entrance her audience that slaved over her outside of her dressing room. Adjusting herself so that her elbows held her weight on the dressing room table, she looked into the vanity one last time before revealing herself beneath closed doors. A snug Audrey Hepburn-like wig hid the blond that crept out in small corners beneath her ears and the face she saw was something that she didn't recognize anymore, only her eyes. Looking away from them, she only focused on the loose peach colored nightgown she had sewn that covered her slender body. This was suppose to be her new identity, the seductress, someone enchanting. Little J never saw the fairytale enchantment in this story though, what she was doing held no happy ending. Shedding her dignity, loosing some clothes- it was all in the business of pleasure and ever since Nate ruined love for her and her life was no longer reliable, this audience was the only thing she could rely on, for the attention, for the artificial love and for the money. At least she couldn't say she was alone anymore.

"Kittie!" a girl from wardrobe came running towards Jenny, lollipop in mouth. "I scored tonight." With a wink, she handed the little blond her garner belt. "Tonight we've got a new crowd in here, some upper east siders decided to come out here for a birthday party. They tip extremely well." Just smiling, Jenny took the belt from her friend, Rosalie and hooked it onto her tights. Rosalie was from Brooklyn, just like her, but on stage she went by the name Cherry, hence the lollipop that always hung from her mouth. Rosalie had come out here to help make some money to help her mother pay rent after she blew most of it on her boyfriend's bail. But, she didn't mind the job, infact there had been many instances where she would consider quitting because she liked her job too much. She always got into different personalities, pleasing each of her customers with that they desired. She was loosing her own identity throughout all of this. She was addicted and couldn't quit.

Upper east side? She had tried to push any thought of her life back there from her head and this one hit her hard. It had been a year since she had been back home. Her father had kicked her out of the house after she had disobeyed him time and time again and instead of going back home Jenny had decided to take the year off of school and stay at her Aunt's house in south Brooklyn. Of course her Aunt and her dad had their weekly phone calls, apparently Jenny was being homeschooled but her Aunt was really good at lying. It was almost like living with your best friend.

Wiping the worry from her face, she took a sip of rum from the flask on her vanity and put on her high heels. A loud applause and a series of whistles and hollars left the audience as the last performer, Destiny, left the stage. In deep breaths, she peaked through the red curtain out to the audience. She could see the people in the back entering, but the people up front by the flashing lights where just shadows, the lights hiding their faces. She could see some boys in the back with Hermes attire on, this must be the upperside clan, she rolled her eyes.

"Introducing Kittie" the manager hollered in the microphone as Britney Spears' Freakshow blasted through the speakers.

_10 p.m. til 4  
and I came to hit the floor  
Thought you knew before  
But if you don't  
then now you know_

Pulling the curtain to the side, she hit the stage, her hips moving to the beat of the song and her back turned to the audience, swaying her body back and forth. Pulling down the straps of her nightdown, she layed her head on her shoulder, letting her eyes drop to some of the usuals that she knew would tip. Turning her body to the audience, she walked over to the left side of the stage, bending down to the tip of her stilettos, pulling a tear into her fishnet leggings on the way back.

_Well tonight I'm bout to mash  
Make them other chicks so mad  
I'm bout to shake my ass  
Snatch that booty to fast_

The other side of the stage started to cheer as the door opened, apparently the birthday boy was arriving. Moving over to see, she saw no other than Nathaniel Archibald. Her jaw dropped.

_It's all about me and you  
Doin' how we do  
Tear the floor up up up  
Tell them to make room_

She wanted to turn away and run off the stage and another part of her wanted him to see her after all this time, to see what he did to her. He would've never guessed how much he affected her, but she wanted him to see. She wanted him to feel how lonely she was. She wanted him to want her again. A spot light circled Jenny and Nathan. The birthday lap dance was expected, she hoped that the wig would cover her face up enough. Walking down the steps of the stage, she headed towards the table of Upper East Siders, spotlight still on them. Keeping her head over her shoulder to the boy next to Nate, she layed her warm fingers on his shoulder, trailing down his shirt. Turning her back to him, running her fingers through his hair, letting her legs wrap around his left leg. His friends threw money on the table for more and with all the world's eyes on her, she turned back to Nate.

If it hadn't been for his familiar eyes caressing every part of her body, she might have realized that his eyes were staring at her now. "Jenny?" he looked so confused, lost and every sound that left him made her tremble. Embarassed, she pouted and ran backstage. The audience stayed alive though, entertainment still on stage – Jenny was never the star here, just the side show.


	2. Back Into Your Hold

She let her body fall onto her vanity, staring at the flooded pool of tears lining her eyes. Tears of joy to see Nathan again, tears of disappointment in herself for letting him see her like this. How was he ever going to find her special, when the passionate kiss that sparked their interest in each other was something that she shared with everyone now. At least, that's what she thought he must be thinking. In all honesty, Jenny has never been involved with more than one person since the Nate story and his name was Nick, the complete opposite of Nate. He was post-punk and resembled the lead singer of the sex pistols, with his hair bright red and patterned torn pants and leather jacket that Jenny spent her nights cuddling in after their breakup. Nick's i-don't-care attitude only fooled her for so long when he started to become distant from her, blaming it on her career choice and accusing her of sleeping with clients. However, it turned out that he was the one that was cheating on her, oh his clever i-don't-care attitude. What was left of him was that leather jacket, the only thing that warmed her in a loving way, he was all about his image and now she stole that from him. He was nothing like Nate, she had never loved anyone else besides him and she didn't think she ever would.

Kissing the vanity mirror, her bright red lipstick faded into a soft shade of pink and the wig that covered her hair was now on the floor with a pile of other styled wigs. Most of the wigs were Cherry's, she really liked getting into her other characters. The tousled mess of blond looked good on new-Jenny, the edgy girl that held a pack of sugar-coated cigarettes in her leather jacket pocket that the local liquor store would give to her without ID, because she was 'swell' and the acrylic black fingernails that she coated in glitter and rings. Picking up her purse, she shoved tonight's money in it and rushed out the backdoor before she had to deal with getting yelled at by her manager, Spencer.

"**See you later doll face."** Was the last thing that she heard someone whisper out to her before her body met the frisk cold wind of February. Shuffling her hands in her pockets for a smoke, she was interrupted by a boy, the one who didn't look so familiar without his smiling eyes. She kept wanting to blame herself for how things happened, but she had remembered that he was the one who left her heart on the line and then abandoned her. Jenny gave him a cold expression, pulling the cigarette to her mouth and giving it a light.

"**I didn't know that you were still living in Brooklyn"** he whispered, eyes on the floor.

"**You can't even look at me, really? Are you that childish?"** she said coldly, inhaling the stick in her mouth like it was last breath. She could feel the anger in him, he must've been thinking her face was the ground, the way he stomped up from it, this time looking at her directly in the face.

"**And I suppose you think you're the most mature person in the world with your night job and no curfew then?"** he retorted. Pulling the cigarette out of Jenny's hand and throwing it to the floor. **"You're really classy, Jenny."**

Watching the burning cigarette fall to the floor, she lost her voice with it. She wasn't use to this voice, after having thought about it for so long, it didn't comfort her the way it use to. This must've been her fault**. "Are you still going to act like the protective brother? We all know that never worked out."** She could feel the tears coming, but she would force them back in. She didn't want him to know the power he had over her, not ever. She was suppose to be the new independent, provocative Jenny that got everything she wanted. Instead of waiting for a response, she started to strut away, her stilettos making the puddles of water on the floor splash and soak her feet. Letting the sound of her heels covering her soft sob, she hoped the rain would camouflage her teary eyes.

Just walk away and don't look back, she kept repeating in her head. Ready to cross the red light of the street, she jumped back when a car swiveled past her honking…. **"Jesus" **she gasped, so in shock from everything that had just happened in the last twenty minutes of her life. Holding her weight with the street pole, she let Nate follow her and wrap his arm around her neck, holding her face closer to his chest. **"I just wanted you to care." **He said, his other arm grabbing her away from the pole into a hug. She did care, more about him than everything else. More than the family she left to help heal her broken heart, more than the job she worked to forget and more than her life of popularity which she shed when she went off the map and got a new alias. Lifting her soaking head off of his chest, she looked up at him, his face more familiar than ever. **"I do, don't you worry." **Her cheeks more colorful than ever, she sighed and let her head rest on his shoulder.


	3. In Love With A Feeling

Suddenly all the lights in Brooklyn became a blur to her, she felt as though she were in a dream but in dreams you have control over everything, this couldn't be a dream. Then again, you never remember to take wing of your destiny in your sleep. The cool water rushed down the side of her cheek that Nate had now had his hand pressed on. **"Happy Birthday, Nate."** She cooed, kissing him softly on the cheek. Taking her hand in his own, he pressed the walk button on the street pole**, "Now that there's no rush."** He laughed, she clutched onto his grip a little tighter and smiled. **"Wait, you don't want to go back to your friends?"** she tried to act concerned, there was no way she was going back in there. As the red hand turned into the symbol of a glowing white man, the two of them crossed. **"I thought we might catch up some." **Nodding in agreement, the two walked hand in hand across the street. With how busy the city was, tonight it had seemed to be so peaceful. As if everything going on at this very moment was a haze, with hushed memories whispering to her in a lull voice. She pretended she had kissed him back here, on the corner but in actuality, she was afraid of his reaction – she didn't want to loose him now. **"And I'll be the devious little kidnapper." **She teased, swinging their linked arms in a small skip. **"Always."** He winked.

Drawing her eyes over the walls that decorate the city, a spoon full of color and glowing neon lights. She couldn't help it, but every time they had passed a strip club she would wince and she knew Nate pretended not to notice, because he didn't want to believe it. He even ignored the whistles from people in their cars at Jenny's lingerie attire, covered in only leggings and a leather jacket. But all he did was smile back at her, blocking out everything else around them, even the vibrate in his jean's pocket. **"Nate,"** she drawled out, her eyes hypnotized in his. **"Your phone."** She coughed, looking away to the pavement as he grabbed to answer it. It was most likely his friends asking where he was, she thought but when she heard the mousey voice of a girl on the other line, her mind led to other assumptions. Toying with the rings on her fingers, Nate had walked a few steps away, whispering into the phone with a small smirk that played on his mouth. Looking at him, he caught her glance and signaled that he would only be a minute. _**"I would rather be with you than here with the boys, trust me but I don't think there's anyway that I can get out of this."**_ She felt like she was prying into something that she should stay very far away from, but she couldn't help but over hear those words – he would rather be there with _her_, she wanted to know who _she_ was. She already felt like the jealous girlfriend. Trying to wipe off her look of disappointment, she went to lean up against a brick wall on the side of the concrete and pulled out a cigarette from the box in her pocket. Closing his phone, instead of lighting out her cigarette this time he asked if he could have one. **"Sure"** she said, watching him pull one to his soft pink lips and light it with a silver lighter from his pocket. **"It was just Serena, she's with Dan and they wanted meet up and do something tonight, but I told them I already had plans."** He explained, Jenny acted like she understood but in reality she didn't know anything that was going on in that life that he lived in, or the one that she use to live in. **"You mean, Serena and my brother are still dating?" **she bemused, for a second Nate had almost acted surprised but with how much time he had been spending with Dan lately, he knew him and Jenny haven't been in touch in a while and he was still wondering if he should mention seeing Jenny down here to him or keep her his little secret, _a dirty one_. Exhaling smoke from the side of his mouth, he moved closer to the wall, so that he was standing directly in front of her now. **"It's been rough for them lately, but they're trying."** He let the words linger, wondering if to ask her if she was going to plan on seeing them anytime soon but before he could build up the words she had already read his mind. **"I was going to visit soon, I just didn't know how to make up for the lost time or if I even can."** She continued, **"I really admire what they have together. When I was younger, I use to always think that my parents were what love meant but it turns out that I was wrong and now my brother has started to define it. I can't help but to find some humor in it or maybe it's not humor and I just want it to be."** She laughed, the smoke escaping her mouth. Love was always candy coated on the outside, Jenny knew this, she was not to be seen as cupid's fool. She knew when someone was forcing a smile, just like the one she just pulled. The fact that her brother was able to find love before her and flaunt it every chance he got hit a nerve and part of the reason she never talked to him was because she didn't want to know how things were going with Serena. If he was with her, it would only let her know that you don't abandon someone when things get rough- something that she has already done and doesn't want to suffer the guilt for and if he wasn't with her, her image of love would only be even more ruined that it had already been before her parents and before Nate. Unfortunately, now she knew and now she had started to wonder if her and Nate could've happened if she had maybe stayed around a little longer instead of running away from the one thing that she wanted most. **"Not everything lasts forever; I don't think it's supposed to be. Things would never end if there wasn't someone or something better for them out in the world."** The look on Nate's face right now was something that she was going to repeat over and over again, furrowed brows of sympathy that made her want to hug him until eternity and the way that he bit down on his bottom lip, as if he was thriving the same thing that she was – that one kiss. But instead, he only distanced himself, acting like he didn't want to blow cigarette smoke in her face but she was sure the reason was because he didn't want that one thing to happen because he didn't feel the same way about her anymore.

Throwing her cigarette to the floor, she let it burn out on it's own, whereas Nate had already burnt his out with the bottom of his shoe. The two of them stood in silence, not the anticipated awkward kind but the one where you don't need words to speak to each other and you can stand there in a comfortable silence and still appreciate the company of each other. **"Nate,"** she sighed **"I have to be heading home soon."** Of course she lied, but it wasn't because she didn't want to see him it was because she didn't want to ruin this moment. There were a lot of unanswered questions between them but she was sure that she would be seeing him again, she had a gut feeling and she was sure those weren't only the butterflies. Nodding, he held his hand out and Jenny grabbed onto it with no hesitation. **"That's fine."** He flashed his infamous smile, making her insides turnover and dance to the beat of the rushing blood through her veins that all floated to her cheeks.** "I was just going to ask you something first, It's been on my mind for a while." **He seemed flustered, **"But, why didn't you give me any notice when you left?"** She felt her heart break a little when he said that. She left because he had abandoned her, after not keeping in touch with her for over a month she was under the impression that she did something wrong and that he wasn't interested in her, she had been too embarrassed to face him before she left. Leaving was easier for her, but how was she suppose to tell all of that to him? This was suppose to be his fault but she was starting to feel like it was hers all along. She could feel her face heat up, letting go of his hand she turned around to regain her posture. **"It thought it would be easier." **She blankly said, knowing that she was wrong. Turning back to him, he had moved closer to her and her face was now directly under his. She stayed still, as if she forgot to move and she was marionette doll with no strings, her knees felt weak and the only control she had over her body right now was her mouth and the words that would spill from them. _Her mouth, her lips and the control they could have over him._**"Then? Was it?"** he asked in a lull voice. What a stupid question, she thought. He should know it wasn't, he should know, she kept repeating to herself, still unable to move. **"Jenny." **He said more assertive, her head starting to move more towards the ground away from the power his eyes had over her. His eyes, hypnotizing her into a broken doll. He pulled her chin back up towards him with his fingers, **"Please, I want to know." **Holding back her outburst, holding back the pushing waterfall in her eyes, she tried to look at him without breaking or without making a move, without being the Jenny she wanted to be with him. Why was he doing this to her? He was the one who abandoned her! She was only moving on and with him here, standing in front of her with his puppy dog eyes, it was making this all impossible for her. **"Why are you pushing this on me? Please, can't we talk about this later?" **she said, her voice still dull under his grip. **"Out of all of the things I could've brought up and you can't let me know this one single thing? Do you have any idea how frustrating this is?"** his head finally moved, hand pushed against his forehead. **"I'm sorry if I've intruded on this new life you have going for you, but I knew you once and you're not just going to go away without giving me a decent reason to say goodbye." **Frustrated, she grabbed onto the collar of his shirt, squeezing her fist as hard as she could and then letting him go. Instead of her hand falling back to her side, he grabbed it and intertwined his fingers with hers. **"Do you want me out of your life?" **he asked this once and last time, wanting to wipe the water from the corner of her eyes. He didn't want to upset her, only wanted the opposite. She didn't know it, but he still cared about her just as much as he ever did. Looking at their hands locked together, there was no way that she wanted him out of her life either. **"I never wanted you gone, don't ever think that."** She said, **"Leaving was one of the most hardest things for me to do in my life, but I couldn't deal with the pressure. Of. Of everything. "** she stuttered, starting to let some of the tears escape the rim of her eyes. Letting go of her hand, he ran his fingers through her tousled hair, **"You don't have to do anything you don't want to."** And with those last words, his lips were pressed against hers and she was kissing back.


End file.
